The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-08-11

A Father Who Killed the Thief
Of His Child is Acquitted by an
English Jury.
Compiled from the first volume OF Hubert
Howe Bancroit's Popular Tribunal.
Staid old England, that has so oft.
en- raised it's hands in horror at the
methods of justice pursued in Ameri.
ca, has itself sometimes broken the
cold forms of law and given true jus.
tice a chance. Some thirty years ago
the case of George Hammond came to
trial at the Old Bailey in London, be.
fore Lord Chief Justice Tindal. The
prisoner, who was a portrait painter,
was brought to the bar to answer to
the charge Of wilful murder which had
been found against him by the grand
jury. With malice afotethought he
had slain q rope.dancer and m0unte:
bank: The prisoner was a man of mid.
die height and slender form; his eyes
were blue and mild: His whole being
gave evidence of subdued sadness and
melancholy resignation. He was Al
years Of age. His soft voice, his man.
Der. and appearance were testimony
OF his being a man offeellng and refine:
lnent in spite of the poverty of his
dress.
On being called to plead, the prison
err admitted that he had killed Bald
win and he deplored the act; but, he
added, however, on his soul and con.
science that he did not believe him.
self to be guilty. Thereupon jury
was impaneled to try the prisoner.
The Indictment was read to the jury,
and, as the act OF killing was admitted,
the Government rested their case and
the prisoner was called upon for his
defense.
The prisoner then addressed him.
self to the Court and jury: my lord,
my justification is to be found in a
recital of the facts. Three years ago
l lost a daughter, then 4 years of age,
the sole memorial of O. beloved
vie, whom it pleased God
to recall to himself. lost my
child; but did not see her die. She
was an angel, and beside her I had no.
Jody in the world to love. Gentle
men, what have suffered can not be
described; you can not comprehend it.
| expended in advertising and fruit
less search everything I possessed,
furniture, pictures and even my
clothes. All have been sold. For
three years, on foot, I have sought
my child in all cities and all the vii.
lagos OF the three Kingdoms. As soon
as by painting protraits I have sue.
ceeded in gaining little money, re.
turned to re-commence my advertis.
ing in the newspapers. At length on
Friday, the 4th of April last, cross.
ed the Smithstield cattle market. In
the centre OF the market q troupe of
mountebanks were performing their
feats. Among them child was turn
ing on it's head, it's legs in the air and
its head supported by q halbert. A
ray from the soul OF it's mother must
have penetrated my own for me to
have recognized my child in that
condition. 1t was, indeed, my
poor child. Her mother would
have clasped her to her heart had she
been there. As for ME, Il veil passed
over my eyes. I threw myself upon
the chief of the rope-dancers. knew
not how it was; l, habitually gentle
even to weakness, seized him by the
clothes; / raised him in the air and
dashed him to the ground. Then
again. He was dead. Afterwards re-
pented what had done. At that
moment regretted that was only
able to kill but one"
mcnts," replied the chief justice; chow
can You expect the court and jury
to lead with favor upon your defense,
to God to pardon you, if you can not
orgive?"
II know, my lord" continued the
prisoner, "what will be your judge
ment and that of the jury. but God
has already pardoned me, I feel it in
my heart. You knownot, l knew not
then the full extent of the evil that
man had done. When some compass.
sionate people brought me my daugh-
ter in my prison she was no longer
my child, she was no longer pure and
angelic as formerly; she was corrupt
co, DOAy ttIlu oOui, IcI IIUllleIs ICE
language, infamous like those OF the
people with whom she had been living.
She did not recognize me, and 1 no
longer recognized her myself. Do you
comprehend me now? That man had
robbed ME of the love and soul of my
child, and have killed him but once"
The foreman now spoke: my lord,
we have agreed on our verdict"
81 understand you, gentlemen" an
swered the chief justice, "but the law
must take it's course; I must sum up
the case, and then you will retire to
deliberate" The chief justice summed
up the case and the jury retired. In
a moment they returned into court
again with the verdict OF "Not guilty."
On the discharge OF Hammond the
sheriff was Obliged to surround him
with an escort. The crowd of women
and men was immense. The women
were determined to carry him off in
triumph. The crowd followed all the
way to his lodgings with deafening
shouts and huzzas.